Rimmo
Rimmo is a country with a long and rich history. Currently, its position in the balance of power between global nations is 2nd, though some power players in other governments (notably, the monarch of Mintoria and the emperor of the Golden League) contest this. The leader of Rimmo is one of the members of the Council of Nine, and is an economic powerhouse. History Legend has it that Rimmo was founded when a small group fled persecution in prehistoric Axlonia and settled past the Riggs Mountains by the sea, making them the first group to do so on the northern continent. The group mistakenly thought that the sea was the rim of the world, and so they called the land 'Rimmo,' or 'the land of the Rim.' They called themselves the people of the Rim, and they engaged in exploration and innovation. Originally, the group organized themselves around elected warlords, with property running through the matriarchal lines. As their civilization progressed, they settled into a series of monarchies and, in recent times, has become a constitutional parliamentary republic. Warlord Period (Prehistoric - 25h.) The Rimmonian warlords were always on the watch against their enemy to the northwest, the Axlonians. Beasts and lawless bands of raiders roamed the wilderness, so people preferred to travel in caravans or not at all. To historians' best research, there were at least fifteen warlords who held lands south of the Riggs Mountains. Each had castles supported by surrounding farmlands and villages, and each raised armies through a revolving conscript system. Trade between warlords took place at annual festivals held at Dalus, the original warlord's holding at where the rivers met and considered the capitol of Rimmo. Unfortunately, the Axlonians amassed an overwhelming force and destroyed most of the warlords' holdings, including the library in Dalus. The Axlonians assumed repressive control over the Rimmonians until overthrown around 27h.Vanderson, Holt. "History of Rimmo." 1257h. Rimmonian Monarchies (27h. - 1100h.) The strongest warlord, Lena Menelis, became the first monarch of Rimmo. She consolidated her power by marrying the second-strongest warlord, Harold Aristoph. The pair ruthlessly put down small rebellions and crowned themselves king and queen of Rimmo. Their court was marked by intrigue and paranoia, which became a hallmark of the Rimmonian Monarchy throughout the years. Samak, Layne. "Rimmonian Monarchy." 1300h. Constitutional Parliamentary Republic (1110h. - Present) When Harold IX was assassinated in 1109h., Parliament decided to take advantage of the situation and form an entirely new government, despite the rumors that they had ordered the king's death. They held a consitutional-making Parliament and hammered out Rimmo's official constitution. It took 10 years or so for the government to begin working relatively smoothly, but the exchanges of power has been calm ever since. to come. Government Rimmo is a parliamentary constitutional republic. Currently led by Prime Minister Ronald Billiam, the leader of the Rimmonian Labor Party (RPL), Rimmo has become quite adept at being masters of trade and leaders in emerging industries. Elections are held every six years, and the party leader whose party gained the most votes becomes the prime minister. Parliament creates and enacts laws, which are subject to constitutional review by the Supreme Court of the country, in order to ensure that Parliament is working on the behalf of the Rimmonian people. The Prime Minister's advisors, commonly called the Cabinet, are the heads of their respective agencies, which oversee and enforce the laws that Parliament passes. These advisors must be approved by Parliament before they can officially start work. Main Political Parties Business Party Green Party Independent Party Rimmonian Labor Party (RPL) Cabinet Positions/Agencies None of the positions are ranked higher than the others. Some prime ministers have had favorite Cabinet positions, but most have relied on the agency heads for information necessary to the running of Rimmo. Head of Environmental Policy: Lyn Samak (appointed, not confirmed) *Oversees the implementation of environmental policy *Advises the prime minister on environmental matters *Has authority over the weather bureau, disaster preparedness and relief, and recycling progams *Is usually the current head of the Dandalites Head of Foreign Affairs: Nale Worthington (confirmed 1310h.) *Oversees the implementation of foreign trade policy and the management of the diplomat corps *Is knowledgeable about the global community, and is usually fluent in at least two other languages *Hires and sends out ambassadors to other nations in matters of trade and diplomacy *Runs the intelligence services (allegedly) in conjunction with the Head of Armed Forces (allegedly) Head of Internal Affairs: Liv Barrow (confirmed 1310h.) *Oversees the implementation of domestic trade policies and the management of federal officers and has to be detail-oriented, passionate, and culturally aware *Runs the school for aspiring public servants in conjunction with the Head of Education and the Head of Foreign Affairs *Enforces internal trade and safety (workplace, travel, food) laws *Manages the Revenue Service, which is the government agency for assessing and collecting taxes, and the Census Bureau, which collects demographic data for the government Head of Education: Robert Williamson (confirmed 1310h.) *Oversees the implementation of educational policies *Runs the accreditation service for the various types of educational institutions in Rimmo *Licenses teachers and educational administrators *Coordinates with the Head of Public Works to provide timely and appropriate public service announcements Head of Public Works: Jhan Dale Litaki (confirmed 1310h.) *Oversees the implementation of infrastructure policies *Manages the construction of roads, bridges, government buildings, and other similar projects *Ensures the freedom of the press and of other types of media *Runs the Tourism Bureau Head of the Armed Forces: Kelly Geneson (confirmed 1311h.) *Coordinates with the commanders of the naval, air, and land forces to implement military policy and to training systems uniform across the branches *Keeps the prime minister up-to-date about all things military *Is usually a graduate of the public service school *Works closely with the diplomat corps to avoid military entanglements Economy Rimmo is a worldwide powerhouse when it comes to economics. They are the main exporters of unprocessed colbalt, diamonds (particularly the kind used in the technology manufactured by the Golden League), and several types of manufactured goods. Tourism in the southern half of the country has boomed in recent years. The economy in Rimmo has strict regulations that allow for the growth of businesses and for the protection of employees. The Business Party usually calls for looser regulations, but so far, the traditional means of regulation has been kept in place by the people's votes and by the Labor Party, which has been in charge for the last several decades. Tourism Due to its varied landscape and beautiful scenery, Rimmo has become more and more popular for the tourist business. Some tourists have even come from as far away as Mintoria to see the sea and the caves in the mountains where the Fateful Potsherd was found. Religion The two largest religions in Rimmo are the Dandalites and the Rentrorites, both of which were founded in Rimmo around the time that the Fateful Potsherd was discovered. Both religions have heavily affected national and international politics. Geography The geography in Rimmo is quite varied. From the mountains in the north to the ocean in the south, Rimmo is a fine place for a lover of geography and beautiful scenery. A poem written by an anonymous Rimmonian in the time of Harold III extols Rimmo's beauty as something "unknown in this world until this time"Greenblatt, Stephani, editor. "Oh Rimmo." Greenblatt Anthology of Rimmonian Poetry, the Monarchy. 1300h.. Mountains , due to a quirk in the local religions. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/3972065928/)]] The only notable mountain range of Rimmo is the Riggs Mountains range, which lies on the border between Axlonia and Rimmo, in the far north of Rimmo. Comprised of the most easily traversed mountains in the world, the range is a popular destination for ascetics and tourists alike. The mountains generally are quite temperate, except in early months of the year when ice pack and snowmelt threaten the safety of hikers. History tells the story of how the first Rimmonians came through the mountains led by Theo Riggs, the leader of those who had fled from the Axlonian Oppression. His son was the first elected chief warlord during the Warlord Period of Rimmo history. The mountains are said to be the famous retreat of the mystic Dandalus, and the battleground over the environment with Dandalus' etheral disciple and rival, Rentror. Bartok, Andrew M. "Mountain Ascetics." c. 700h. The tallest and most formidable mountain in the Riggs range has remained nameless in honor of Dandalus' belief in the solemnity of all things. However, it has been nicknamed Riggs' Folly in honor of Rentror, whose exploitation of nature was commonplace, and because Rentror was a descendant of the original Riggs. The caves in the foothills are where the Fateful Potsherd was found in 0h, and are visited by millions of visitors every year. Waterways Three main rivers--the Dalus, the Riggs, and the Melia--flow from the Riggs Mountains to the ocean. The Dalus is the central river and is the river that the original Rimmonians followed to the sea. The Riggs and the Melia are the eastern and western rivers, and both are considered borders with Rimmo's eastern neighbor, Tigran, and its western neighbor, Hinch. The three rivers rarely flood, though flash floods during the rainy season are known to happen. Ocean Early Rimmonians were astonished when they reached the seashore, having never seen it before.Vanderson, Holt. "History of Rimmo." 1257h. The sand on the beaches is white, and the surf breaks over the sandbars and crashes onto the shore. Villages and towns that are near the sea depend on fishing and tourism for most of their economy's health. References